Robert Lee Brewer’s Poem-a-Day prompt: “write a shadow poem. Some people are afraid of shadows (even their own), but others like to lurk there. There are shadow governments, shadowy characters, and well, just shade.”
Maureen Thorson’s NaPoWriMo prompt: “think of a person – real or imagined – who has been held out to you as an example of how to . . . live, but who you have always had doubts about. Write a poem that exaggerates the supposedly admirable qualities of the person in a way that exposes your doubts.”
Wrote from both prompts again, but not necessarily the way the prompts suggested. I hope you enjoy this little ditty — a curtal sonnet again!
Who Sees Himself as a Paragon?
Hmm. Should I write about the Orange One?
(Don’t say his name — he loves that.) DeSantis,
maybe? He’s trying to trump you-know-who
but is just a pale shadow of the clown.
He quipped about college Zombie Studies —
code for diversity programs, a new
way to diss CRT. I feel bad for
Florida and friends who live there. Disney
is the rampart, throwing shade at Ron! You
know he’s bucking for Prez. Heaven forbid.
No paragon, it’s true!
—Draft by Vince Gotera [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
A little bit of fun experimentation in rhyme here. For the “-is” rhyme (De Santis, Studies), I thought it was fun to use "Disney," not just because the “-is” sound comes at the beginning of the word rather than the end but because of their feud. I also rhymed "bad for" with "forbid"! That was a happy accident.
Definition via Omission
Not the justices who tend to engage in oral arguments with litigants, but the other one.
Not the justices who were not nominated by a former director of the Central Intelligence
Agency, but the other one.
Not the justices who did not work for Monsanto, but the other one.
Not the justices whose spouses are not suspected of participating in the January 6 insurrection,
but the other one.
Not the justices who accept lavish vacations and other amenities from billionaires, but one of
the other ones.
One of those who will decide who can marry and where.
One of those who will decide who can carry and where.
One of those who will decide who must carry and where.
—Draft by Thomas Alan Holmes [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]
Friends, won’t you comment, please? Love to know what you’re thinking. Thanks!
Ingat, everyone. ヅ |
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2 comments:
I like your curtal sonnet, Vince, both the message and the fun you had with language and rhyme in it.
Bruce, thanks! It WAS fun.
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